Social Media

New menus on the Facebook home page this week took users by surprise, and left many concerned about the privacy implications of being suddenly more "connected" to their favorite sites and interests. If you're looking for ways to opt out of these new features, this guide will show you how.

Social media can be a boon for those who make their living gig-to-gig. Sheer networking is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to landing work via the social web. We spoke to freelancers in a variety of fields to find out how they make it happen.

Tim Ferriss: 7 Great Principles for Dealing with HatersFor all the personal connections and open sharing done on social networks, you'll always find a fair share of scathing negativity. Tim Ferriss, author of The Four Hour Work Week, gave a talk at The Next Web '10 event in Amsterdam, and had these seven points to share on the subject.

Top 10 YouTube Cover SongsFor better or worse, YouTube has become the ultimate repository of musical tributes. From guys in their bedrooms, to a capella cleverness, to guitar-wielding toddlers, this hand-picked list highlights some of the best around.

Why Content Curation Is Here to StayAt times, content creators and content curators have been at odds. But the sheer volume of "stuff" and noise on the web has made curation essential. This post discusses the status of the curator on today's social web.

Social Enterprise: 5 Tips for Getting Execs on BoardThere's no longer much question about whether corporations need to be engaged in social media, but convincing the head honchos of the value can be challenging. We spoke to some of the top names in social strategy and got some great tips on bringing the boardroom up to speed.

How Does Twitter’s New Social Good Initiative Stack Up?The recent launch of Twitter's Hope140 campaign has already done some good for important causes, but how effective is it when compared to other social awareness and fundraising campaigns? This post discusses the pros and cons of tweet-based charity.

5 Ways Facebook’s Open Graph Will Impact E-commerceFacebook's new Open Graph technology could dramatically change how we interact with the web, especially when it comes to online shopping. These five predictions lay out what to expect from your favorite e-commerce sites in the near future.

Top 5 Social Media Tips for C-Suite ExecsWhile your web-savvy employees may be hip to social media, getting upper management on board can be challenging. We gathered some expert advice, and lay out the value proposition in this post.

Why the Fashion Industry Loves FoursquareLifestyle brand Diesel recently launched a fairly tacit Foursquare campaign that demonstrates the great marketing potential for location-based services. This post details where they succeeded, and where they fell short.

In Defense of FacebookWith all the vitriol surrounding Facebook's latest privacy gaffs, this post takes a moment to look at the people most responsible for our online privacy — ourselves.

How Facebook Makes Edgy Concepts MainstreamTwo years ago, the thought of sharing your location or credit card purchase history online would have seemed ridiculous. Today, it grows ever more mainstream thanks to major social networks like Facebook that make these early-adopter trends more comfortable for the average user.

Why Twitter Needs to Do More to Save Trending TopicsTwitter recently amended its trending topics algorithm in the hopes of producing more relevant and newsworthy results. But is this an interference in the natural development of popular topics? And is Twitter doing enough to remain a relevant source of real-time news? This post takes a hard look.

How the U.S. Engages the World with Social MediaYou might be surprised to learn that the U.S. Department of State and many of its embassies around the world are having great success shaping America's image abroad through social media. We spoke with some of the diplomats and officials who are making a difference through Twitter and Facebook.

21 Rules for Social Media EngagementIf you're creating a social media policy for your business, or even your personal brand, these 21 points are a surefire way to stay on track and on message in an online world full of noise.

5 Innovative Websites That Could Reshape the NewsWhile traditional journalism remains in upheaval, a handful of startups have provided a glimpse at what the future of news gathering might look like on the social web. Whether these models are sustainable remains to be seen. Check out this post for look at some of these innovators.

5 Essential Facebook Privacy TipsIf you're not cognizant of your Facebook privacy settings, you may be broadcasting things to the world (or even certain groups of friends or family) that you may not have intended. Note these important settings to ensure you stay in control of your social data.

TwitPic Founder Talks About the Future of Twitter Photo Sharing [VIDEO]TwitPic has become one of the most popular ways to share photos on Twitter. With a recent facelift and a lot of attention from prospective buyers, the company has some big plans in the works. We spoke to the founder, Noah Everett, to get his take on TwitPic's rapid growth and future.

Business

10 Dos and Don’ts for Brands on TwitterPeople expect different things from individuals and brands on Twitter, and crossing those streams could lead to a few common mistakes. Check out this list of tips to ensure your company plays by all the right rules.

5 Tips for Making Your Presentations More SocialSocial media has opened up a wealth of opportunities to make business presentations more engaging. These five tips can transform your boring set of slides into a dynamic, real-time force of nature.

5 Simple Tools for a Paperless OfficeMany small businesses are still beholden to paper for a variety of reasons, but there are some easy changes you can make to your document systems to dramatically reduce that consumption. Check out these tools and apps that can get your business moving in a greener (and cheaper) direction.

4 Ways Foursquare Can Improve Your WorkplaceThough mainly thought of as a location-based social game, Foursquare is showing some big internal potential for companies. Build camaraderie, enthusiasm, and knowledge among your team. This post can show you how.

HOW TO: Cultivate Your Brand’s Super UsersThe customers who already use and love your product could be the most influential spokespeople for your brand. This post discusses how to identify these super users, and how to make the most of their passion.

HOW TO: Make Sure You’re Tracking the Right DataThe flood gates are open on social data, and if marketers don't pay attention to the right things, the volume can easily get overwhelming. Here are some tips for honing in on the data the really matters to your marketing strategy.

What Facebook’s Open Graph Means for Your BusinessFacebook's latest big changes have big ramifications for marketers and businesses with a presence on the network and the web at large. Find out what these developments mean for your social strategy in this post.

Which Department Owns Social Media?Does a company's social media presence belong to the marketing department? Customer service? Legal? We asked the experts how they categorize the versatile medium for business.

Why Your Company Needs to Embrace Social CRMSocial media is changing the rules of customer engagement. Your company needs to understand and embrace Social CRM to meet the needs of the new social customer. This post discusses how.

Mobile

4 Reasons the iPhone Is a (Video)Game ChangerThe iPhone has truly taken the video game world by storm, and there's plenty yet to explore in mobile gaming. Check out this analysis of the current trends, and what they might mean for the future of the industry.

Top 10 iPhone Apps for TV FanaticsWhether you're addicted to Lost, or have taken up the guilty pleasure of Gossip Girl, there are great TV tie-in apps that will keep you up to date, and tapped into some great bonus materials.

8 Best Android Apps for Health and FitnessWhether you're looking to get in shape or stay that way, your mobile device can help. The Android Market is full of health-minded apps that can keep you on track toward physical fitness. This post reviews eight of the best.

How Mobile Technology is Affecting Local News CoverageThe news-gathering game has changed, thanks to the ubiquity of smart, multipurpose handhelds. Whether you're using your own device to report and disseminate the news, or you're tapping a social web of mobile updates and Twitpics for sources, the mobile-savvy journalist is out at the front of the industry.

7 Ways Journalists Can Use FoursquareWhile Twitter and Facebook have been established as great places to make and break news, Foursquare's growing popularity offers some interesting location-based opportunities for journalists.

8 Best Android Apps for Photo EditingLooking to add a few tricks to your Android's photography bag? Check out these eight apps that will have you cropping, filtering, and snazzing up those mobile snaps in no time.

Tech

HOW TO: Give Your Inbox a Master CleanseIf your inbox is bursting with social media notifications, useless newsletters, and unsolicited messages, you're certainly not alone. Use these tactics to bring your unread count back into a reasonable realm.

HOW TO: Secure Your WordPress BlogWordPress is certainly a secure platform right out of the proverbial box, but there are always ways to protect your blog or site from the more nefarious denizens of the web. Heed these tips for more secure blogging.

5 Real-Time Location Trends to WatchThe location game is heating up faster than you may think. Keep on top of things by noting these important trends, as relayed by Joe Stump, CTO of SimpleGeo, who spoke at The Next Web '10 event in Amsterdam.

Why Schools are Turning to Google AppsThe state of Oregon has made the bold move to embrace Google Apps for its entire education system. The reasons and benefits are compelling, and could open up a wealth of possibilities for schools around the country.

8 Ways to Repurpose Your Old ElectronicsWhy toss your obsolete gadgets in the landfill when you could transform them into art, data storage, and other useful items? Here are eight suggestions for keeping your gadget habit in the green.

5 Quick Tips to Solicit Useful Design FeedbackDesigners can (and should) take their work very personally, but this often makes it hard to receive constructive criticism. Here are five easy ways to get the feedback you need to keep a project moving forward.

5 Charities for Donating Your Old ElectronicsJust because you no longer have a use for your second generation iPod doesn't mean it should be headed for the scap heap. Take a moment to note these charities where your old gadgets can be put to new use.

7 Ways to Customize Your Real Life OnlineSometimes, a startup can offer unique products that a big retailer or e-commerce outfit just can't. These seven websites will customize all sorts of cool stuff — from shoes, to chocolate, to pet food.

NFC Technology: 6 Ways It Could Change Our Daily LivesNear field communication technology, which enables data to be transferred between mobile devices at close range, has been around for some time. Recently, it has been gaining traction as a practical way to shop, do business, and more. Check out these examples that could become commonplace in the near future.

5 Great Ways to Find Music That Suits Your MoodThere are plenty of ways to generate a playlist based on artist, song, or genre. But what if you just need a tune-stream for a broken heart, or an energizing workout? These five web apps can do it with a few clicks.

6 Free Websites for Learning and Teaching ScienceRelease your inner science nerd and check out some of the web's wonderful free resources for the pursuit of knowledge about our world. From genetics, to robots, to the infinite cosmos, these sites abound with information for students, teachers, and the just plain curious.

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